f government. I do not think he
troubled himself any further with the subject. He sometimes on the Sabbath
went to church, but oftener stayed at home, or sought excitement with a
chosen friend or two abroad. He hated professing people, as they are
called, and would rather shake hands with a housebreaker than a saint. It
has been necessary to state these particulars, in order to show how
thoroughly he lived uninfluenced by the high motives which are at once the
inspiration and the happiness of all good men--how madly he rested on the
conviction that religion is an abstract matter, and has nothing more to do
with life and conduct than any other abstruse branch of metaphysics. But
in spite of this unsound state of things, the gentleman possessed all the
showy surface-virtues that go so very far towards eliciting the favourable
verdict of mankind. He prided himself upon a delicate, a surprising sense
of honour. He professed himself ready to part with his life rather than
permit a falsehood to escape his lips; he would have blushed to think
dishonestly--to _act_ so was impossible. Pride stood him here in the stead
of holiness; for the command which he refused to regard at the bidding of
the Almighty, he implicitly obeyed at the solicitation of the most ignoble
of his passions. It is difficult to imagine a more dangerous companion for
a young widow than Michael Allcraft was likely to prove. Manliness of
demeanour, and a handsome face and figure, have always their intrinsic
value. If you add to these a cultivated mind, a most expressive and
intellectual countenance, rich hazel eyes, as full of love as fire, a warm
impulsive nature, shrinking from oppression, active in kindness and deeds
of real benevolence--you will not fail to tremble for my Margaret. Abraham
Allcraft was too shrewd a man to allude even most remotely to the actual
reason of his son's recall. He knew very well that to hint at it was in
the very outset to defeat his purpose. He acted far more cautiously.
Michael had received a first rate education--he had been to the
university--he had travelled through Italy and Germany; and when he
received his father's letter was acquiring business habits in a
banking-house in London. It was high time to settle seriously to work, so
thought Allcraft senior, and suddenly determined to constitute his son a
partner in his bank. "He himself was getting old," he said. "Who knew what
would happen? Delays were dangerous. He would dela